Announcing a new artist residency in Ajo, Arizona, where history, culture and the spectacular Sonoran Desert will inspire and inform your practice.

In 2018 the Sonoran Desert Inn & Conference Center launched a new artist residency. This residency is open to emerging, mid-career and established artists, giving them the opportunity to step away from the day-to-day hustle and focus on a new or existing project in an inspiring setting. Ajo is a beautiful, quiet, little-known town in the heart of Arizona's Sonoran Desert, ideal for a period of creativity and experimentation, as well as exploration. Our community is full of artists of all kinds and embraces visiting artists from across the country and around the globe.

Click here to read about our selected artists, past and present!

For Spring 2020, we sought out artists and writers whose work centers on the theme of Borders, Barriers, and Boundaries. Rather than an open call, we put out a request for nominations to our network of artists, scholars, activists and community members. Specifically, we asked for nominations of artists and writers whose work has an existing connection to the Borderlands and/or this theme. We received 26 nominations and invited 15 of the nominated artists to apply in for a month-long residency in May 2020. As in past cycles, preference was given to Native and Latinx individuals to highlight the historic (and historically underrepresented) populations of this region. That said, artists of all backgrounds and cultures were eligible to apply.

Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, we made the necessary decision to postpone the May 2020 residency to a later date. We were pleased to have Paola Valenzuela stay with us in April 2021. Amada Toruella will be joining us in October 2021 to work on a current film project that includes Ajo.

Features of the Sonoran Arts Residency include:

Peaceful Living Space

Visiting artists are given a kitchenette room at the Sonoran Desert Inn for the duration of their stay. Our rooms, all former elementary school classrooms, are comfortable, air conditioned, spacious, and full of light. The kitchenette, stocked with a coffeemaker (and locally roasted coffee), fridge, microwave, stove, pots, pans, and dishes, allows artists to easily prepare their own simple meals.

All rooms are on the ground level and open onto a lovely central courtyard. ADA-friendly rooms are available.

While other guests will be staying at the inn during the residency, we intentionally host artists-in-residence during our quieter months. Expect javelinas, bright night skies, and conversations with locals and travelers. Don't expect a courtyard full of people or a packed roster of events.

Focused Work Space

Visiting artists will also be provided, at no cost, a large, air conditioned classroom as their studio space. Classrooms are approximately 800 square feet and have five 8-foot windows, letting in lots of natural light. They are equipped with an artist sink; hi-speed WiFi; cabinets, closets and shelving for storage of supplies; and tables and chairs (which can be removed if not needed). Studios are ADA-friendly, with ADA-accessible restrooms nearby.

We have rehearsal and performance space available, as well as outdoor work spaces for artists wishing to work en plein air.

While we welcome visual and performing artists working in any medium, there are some limitations to the work space and available equipment. See application for details.

Community Engagement

The Sonoran Arts Residency is unique in that it provides time and space to explore Ajo and the surrounding region, and get to know the locals and fellow artists. It isn’t strictly a retreat-style residency, where you will work in isolation for days at a time - although by expanding it from 2 weeks during our pilot cycle to 4 weeks starting in Spring 2019, visiting artists are better able to balance focused work time and community exploration.

We envision the residency as a chance for artists-in-residence to contribute to the growing arts community in Ajo, so will ask each visiting artist to participate in community activities to showcase their work. This generally takes shape as a pop-up show in a local gallery near the end of your residency, and open studio times throughout.

We also see value in inviting the Ajo community to contribute to the quality of each visiting artist's experience. To this end, we have curated a collection of "community perks" for each artist like use of a private saltwater pool, access to a bicycle and a golf cart to explore town, free yoga classes, locally-grown and produced treats, and invitations to suppers hosted by Ajo artists and residents. We will also be able to provide selected artists with a $300 stipend in April 2021 to offset the cost of travel, materials, and/or food, thanks to the generous support of Olsen’s IGA Supermarket.

We anticipate our next open call in Winter 2021 for residencies in 2022.

Check back here for updates in late Fall 2021.

Photos from the Sonoran Arts Residency, 2018-2021: